I have another idea for some "control testing" on this. Pick something you know the timing of, like an event you already have scheduled and know the date (barring a cancellation). I'm thinking something like "When will I see the doctor next?" and do a timing spread to see if it coincides with the scheduled appointment. I'm not big on contrived testing, but it's another way to validate this method, at least in a small way.
Alrighty, I have a doctor's appointment coming up. So I asked for insight regarding my upcoming appointment.
Wheel of Fortune - 6 of Cups - Knight of Pentacles
This is an oncology follow up, and after this visit I am one visit away from being proclaimed cured. I've been making this appointments between 2 and 4 times a year for over 4 years (takes 5 years to get the all clear). So ... I see these cards as quite positive. I don't read them as Past - Present - Future more of a item 1 + item 2 = item 3. So my "outcome" card here is the Knight, nothing exciting, but checking one more uneventful visit off my To Do List like a responsible person.
The elemental timing you mentioned would have Pents as years which in this case is ridiculous, even if I cared to modify it by the cups to speed that up a bit. So I defaulted to weeks, which I'm not sure I'd do if I didn't already know when the appointment was. So there might be a bit of a niggle there.
Anyway, so with my significator Knight of Pentacles and my unit of time as weeks, I dealt out the spread.
Knight of Pentacles was found in the 10th pile. In fact was on top of the 10th pile. Which to me, points back to do this appointment happening just because its supposed to. It was set 6 months ago, and is just one step along the way to completion.
When shuffled and dealt on the line of 6 the Knight showed up on the first card, Queen of Cups.
So, given my unit of time, first pass had my appointment at "Within 10 weeks". Each card in the line then signified 1.6 Weeks. Knight fell on the first card so my appointment is in 1.6 weeks (approximately 11 days) give or take a bit.
In reality my appointment is on August 24th - 16 days from today. So sooner than 2 line cards worth (3.2 weeks)
I believe astrology wise the Knight of Pents is a Virgo card? Which starts August 22nd.
In this case I'd call this a hit for sure. But with foreknowledge of the appointment date of course.